Faith in Action

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Lena Kimis the new UMVIM coordinator for Eurasia. Anton Kuzmin served in this capacity for several years and we are truly thankful for his work with both Eurasian and American partners.

Lena is also the Russian Editor of The Upper Room, Mesto Vstrechi, and so she bring together two passions: education and evangelism. Lena graduated from the United Methodist Seminary in Moscow in 2000 and was appointed to ministry in Kazkhstan. There she served in the cities of Pavlodar and Kurchatov (near Semipalatinsk). In Pavlodar Lena worked in the Regional House for Children and also ministered at a men's prison. In Kurchatov she led children's Bible groups and provided a Christian radio service. Between 2004 - 2006 Lena worked as the Director of Evangelization and Church Development in Eurasia. Then in 2006 she was appointed as the Executive Director of Education and Church Development in Eurasia. In 2007 she received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary.

If you are making plans to attend the Russia-Eurasia Mission Initiative Consultation, please get in touch with Lena about:

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Mission Service Project (MSP) is first and foremost a youth ministry sharing God's unconditional love in His mission in the world. It is often a life changing experience for youth and adults alike, no matter how many times they may have attended MSP in the past. Over the past years, MSP has been a wonderful "home repair" ministry forming relations with the families receiving assistance and each other. Today, MSP has grown into an even more intentional relation building mission experience, joining in God's mission in our communities in new ways. The experience is now available to a wider range of gifts of service brought by those who come to serve. We have also extended the age group for the time of the mission.

It is our prayer that those who come to serve are dedicated not only to sharing their God-given gifts but also to receiving the gifts of those they come to serve.

The datesfor MSP 2015 are

Sunday - Friday, June 14 - 19, 2015

MSP is for Junior and Senior High Church Youth Teams

Ages:Youth must be at least 12 years old and must have completed the 6th grade through completion of 12thgrade, along with the appropriate number of adult leaders.

Team size:the maximum number of youth per team is 10 with at least 2-3 adult leaders.

The 2015 Western Jurisdiction Disaster Training will be held on March 2-5, 2015 in Denver at the Holiday Inn Denver East-Stapleton, 3333 Quebec St., Denver, CO 80207. The classes are for anyone interested in putting their faith into action by helping respond to natural disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. Class offerings include beginning through advanced levels for various types of volunteers, response leaders, church leaders and clergy. Instructors are key UMCOR consultants and experienced disaster responders. Click here for more informationincluding our brochure, draft schedule, and course descriptions!Click here to register today!

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

In late May of 2014 twenty-five team members going on
3 different teams to Sierra Leone were disappointed when their trip was
cancelled due to the outbreak of Ebola. One
team was scheduled to work at Heritage UMC High School, one with the new Kabala
UMC Church, and one with Nar Sarah Medical Clinic and the Kabala UMC School for
the Blind. Due to Ebola, schools were
closed, public gatherings were limited, transportation and movement was
restricted, burial customs were banned or altered, and many hospitals and
medical clinics had to close due to limited resources to protect against and
treat Ebola.

Nar Sarah Clinic however stayed open and joined with
the local Ebola Task Force in Kabala to fight back against Ebola at the
beginning of the outbreak. Road blocks
were established on roads leading into the District (County) All travelers were required to have their
temperature taken and to wash their hands in chlorinated water. Nar Sarah presented Ebola education programs
on the radio and all Clinic patients were taught the dangers of Ebola. Sixty hand washing stations (tippy-taps) were
built in the community and supplied with chlorinated (when possible) water, and
soap was provided.

Nar Sarah Clinic reached out for help from supporters
in the U.S. to help them in the fight to save lives. Over 250 individuals from many States, and local
churches, responded by donating $100,000 within a period of three months. With that money Nar Sarah purchased four
motor bikes and a Toyota Land Cruiser to reach several remote and isolated
villages. Ebola health workers were
hired, trained, and paid, supplies were purchased to build tippy-taps in the
villages, preventive medicines and vitamins were purchased to treat diseases
that weakens the body, and rice was purchased to feed the hungry.

The trained health workers visited villages, some only
accessible by paths or 4 wheel drive vehicles, in four Chiefdoms, distributed
1,500 lbs. of rice, built 65 tippy taps, and distributed 320 bars of soap. In the process they found some villages that
had no idea Ebola existed. Nar Sarah
presented more radio programs to educate the people about Ebola, and did
training classes in each village visited.
This program continues today.

Because of the effort by Nar Sarah and the local Ebola
Task Force, only 4 cases of Ebola were diagnosed in Kabala, a community of
approximately 25,000. The infected
persons were immediately isolated and sent to treatment centers. The people exposed were isolated in a school
building for 21 days to protect the rest of the community. No one died of Ebola in Kabala. Many miles away, on a border with a badly
infected District, 90 cases of Ebola were detected with some deaths, but that
outbreak was contained, and did not spread further into the District where Nar
Sarah and Kabala is located.

Time Magazine named the Ebola fighters as Person of
the Year in 2014. The donors in the
Rocky Mountain area, and the health workers of Nar Sarah and Kabala can lay
claim to that honor although this story will never be seen or heard. Congratulations. Your actions fulfilled the
words found in Matthew 25:35-40

MISSION NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES

INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER TRAINING: Feb. 25-29, 2015 Colby Retreat Center, Palmdale, CA. If you are interested in serving as an individual or couple for 2 months to 3 years then please attend the upcoming IV training at the beautiful Colby Retreat Center in Palmdale, CA. Please contact Rev. Dr. Malcolm Frazier at mfrazier@umcmission.org for more information and an application.

2nd ANNUAL WJ DISASTER ACADEMY: Are you interested in learning about to be a caring Christian presence in the face of a disaster? Would you like to be trained and certified by UMCOR in partnership with UMVIM to serve your local community or nationally when disaster hits? Then come to the WJ Disaster Academy March 2-5, 2015 in Denver, CO. Paul Jeffery (pictured above) will be our guest speaker. Please register and visit www.rmumc.org to register and see a list of available classes and events! You can also just scroll down this website to find out more information and links to the Rocky Mountain Conference website to register.

UMCOR WEST: Team looking for volunteers to join to serve at UMCOR West Depot in Salt Lake City March 15-20, 2015. The team will only be a team of 10 people. Please contact Fe Balaoing at samandfe@gmail.com if you are interested in joining. Fe is based in Bothell, WA.

Mazatenango, Guatemala: July 24-August 2, 2015: The 2011 Guatemala team worked in the south western area of Guatemala. We were based in the city of Mazatenango and traveled to three different villages which were 1-2 hours away. The purpose of the mission was to provide for basic medical needs and to counsel villagers on nutrition, boiling water etc. The kinds of medical issues we saw varied from malnutrition to intestinal parasites and fungal infections. The number of patients seen ranged from 500-600. We took with us not only the medications we used but also health kits (filled with soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste) and school supplies. Please contact Phil Bandy for more information at philb@calnevumc.org.

Haiti, Spring Break Youth Mission Trip April 4-11, 2015: This mission of the youth is to be involved in community computer classes, build and install Bio-Sand water filter systems for water purification. This mission is part of an ongoing community education program and this mission will operate in two school communities. You will be in ministry and mission with TFP staff. They will be your guides, cooks and interpreters during your mission. They are well experienced in handling teams and are equipped to make your mission safe and enjoyable. For more information please contact Phil Bandy at philb@calnevumc.org or visit http://www.cnumc.org/vimtrips for a listing of all the upcoming mission opportunities out of the Cal-Nevada Conference.

Honduras Team Leader Lou Altman is currently seeking additional team members for a mission opportunity to Honduras at the Limon Clinic. The team will be hosting medical and public health clinics. Physicians and others in the medical field are certainly in need, though anyone with a heart to serve and willingness to get their hands dirty are more than welcome! The cost is $1600 and covers all expenses except meals in transit and a free day activity. For more information, please contact Lou at

July 17-26, 2015. An UMVIM medical mission team from Roanoke, VA is currently forming a team to serve in Guatemala with Boca Costa Medical Missions. They are seeking dentists and medical professionals, as well as other non-medical personnel. For more information, please contact Anita Gooding at

Hungary

May 10-18, 2015 and early September 2015: Carolina Honduras Health Foundation clinic in Limón, Honduras, hosts 18 volunteer medical mission teams each year at their clinic on the Caribbean coast. A team leader is needed for May 10-18 and September 2015. Medical training is not required for the team leader; organizational skills are a plus. Assistance in all aspects of planning for a mission team will be provided. Individual teams throughout the year need doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, EMT's, pharmacists and general volunteers. If interested, please contact Ken atkenhook@CFFH.org.

Wanted: Adventurous Accountant

Are you an accountant by day and Indiana Jones by night? ODIM Guatemala is seeking an accountant with a spirit to serve with them in-country for 2-4 weeks. You will have the chance to live and work short term with a dynamic mission team in a lovely location. They request for you to come down with a budget sufficient to cover your expenses and work with their Business Manager and Executive Director to improve their accounting systems and protocols. For more information, please contact Jeff Hassel at odim.executivedirector@gmail.com.

College Students: Apply for Summer Staff with ARM! Looking for a transformative summer mission opportunity? They hire 16-20 college students every year to serve as summer staff at their youth mission camps in rural Alabama. They have positions for coordinating home repair projects and positions for loving on kids at day camp. Both come with $1700 scholarships. Contact Joe (joe@arm-al.org) or visit them online (www.arm-al.org/summerstaff) for details!

Summer Youth Mission Camp: Looking for a place for your middle or high school students to serve others this summer? Registration for ARM's mission camp 2015 is now open! Join them in June or July for a week of service through home repair and day camp ministry. You will care for families and kids and learn about the realities of poverty in rural Alabama. Worship, pray, and study together about how God is calling you to lead a life of service. Contact Joe (joe@arm-al.org) or visit them online (www.arm-al.org/summercamp) to register!

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The 2015 Western Jurisdiction Disaster Training will be held on March 2-5, 2015 in Denver at the Holiday Inn Denver East-Stapleton, 3333 Quebec St., Denver, 80207. The classes are for anyone interested in putting their faith into action by helping respond to natural disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. Class offerings include beginning through advanced levels for various types of volunteers, response leaders, church leaders and clergy. Instructors are key UMCOR consultants and experienced disaster responders.

The Rev. Paul Jeffrey will be our guest speaker. The cost is $200/per person with meals, costs, and materials included in this price. All are welcome!

Please click on the following link to receive more information from the brochure and to register for the event at www.rmcumc.org.

FUTURE TEAMS - VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Honduras

June 1-10, 2015 (tentative). If life-changing experiences, helping under-served ethnic groups, rain forest boating, and beach driving are your idea of fun, then join the AHMENRio de Agua Viva "teach the teacher" team to Honduras today!

Work alongside artisans in the La Ceiba city dump community of Los Laureles as they build their jewelry business from scratch

Teach a variety of sustainable health topics to 60 community agents learning to lead their own seminars

Navigate through the Honduran interior until the paved roads end and the long stretches of Caribbean beaches begin

Meander along jungle rivers as you take in nature's variety

Build relationships as you make a meaningful difference across dozens of Garifuna & Moskitia communities

No experience is necessary. There is a place for everyone.However, they are building their team around the following topics: long-term planning, business development, clean water and public health, raising a healthy baby, gardening/composting, communication, and photography/videography. The cost of the team is $1,700. Contact Michael Franklin, 334-467-5777 or AHMEN@honduranmissions.comfor more information and to make reservations.

Tanzania

April 26-May 4, 2015. UMVIM Executive Director Paulette West and Rev. Allen Newton are leading an exploratory mission team to Tanzania to work with UMC missionaries Liz and Eric Soard. If you are interested in developing sister-to-sister church relationship and/or discovering new opportunities for your church, then we hope you'll consider joining this team. Price is $4000 and includes airfare and a safari. For more information, please contact Paulette West at paulette_west@umvim.org.

Ecuador

March 5-14, 2015. Team Leader Tom Wall, UM campus minister for the Wesley Foundation at University of South Carolina, is seeking additional members for his mission to Ecuador. The team currently consists of about 25 students and staff, but they are in search of a doctor and a dentist to join them to help provide a health clinic. The cost is $1500, and more information is available by contacting Tom at WallBrodie@aol.com.

Kenya

July 7-23, 2015. Kenya Partners is a 501(c)(3) non profit operating programs in Nakuru, Kenya since 2006. Mission involves hands-on work in partnership with locals, including medical, dental, lab, optometric in a clinic, and support in teaching, music, construction, computer teaching, photography and videography in a K-12 boarding school. Multi-generational families are welcome, and extended stay/ internships available. There will be a debriefing safari to Masai Mara at end of mission. Cost is $2000 + airfare. For more information, please contact Diane at diane@kenya-partners.org, or visit kenya-partners.org.

MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND COLLEGE YOUTH

SPRING BREAK OPPORTUNITY

Make your Spring Break count! Spend a week, half-week, or weekend with ARM in Tuskegee, AL where you'll extend the love of Christ through home repair ministry. Many dates in March and April are still available! Bring your middle school, high school, or college students, your Sunday School class, or your small group! Contact Joe at (334) 501-4276 or joe@arm-al.org for more information. You can register online today at www.arm-al.org/springbreak.

Spots are filling up for ARM's Summer Mission Camp! Dates are still available throughout June and July. Provide a transformative experience for your middle and/or high school students as they serve and reflect together with us in rural Alabama. Contact Joe at (334) 501-4276 or joe@arm-al.orgfor more details or register your group online today at www.arm-al.org/summercamp. Registration fee is only $50, but only until February 1st!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Last call for United Methodist Women to join a 2015 Ubuntu Journey!Application deadline is February 28, 2015.

Costa Rica – August 6-15, 2015 “We are one Spirit”

Visit beautiful Costa Rica the home of the Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana.Interact with dedicated female students from many diverse Latin American countries.Dialogue with women theologians and learn how they are making a difference in the lives of Christian women and men in the region.And, travel to Puerto Viejo to engage and partner with the Red Mujeres (Women’s Network) in their work with women’s empowerment, gender equity and race and cultural diversity.Contact team leader Rosie Guadarrama at 909-981-3720 or r.guadarrama@att.net

Cameroon – August 4-17, 2015“What Type of Vessels Are We”

Travel to Yaoundé, Cameroon and meet with dynamic United Methodist Women.Experience their ministries and learn first-hand how the contributions of UMW “mission giving” have supported programs in Cameroon. Contact team leader Marcia Florkey at 937-232-6990 or mlbflorkey@gmail.com.

If you are interested in serving as an individual or as a couple in mission service for a period of 2 months to 2 years then apply to become an Individual Volunteer and attend the training next month. The training will be held at the Colby Retreat Center in Palmdale, CA. For more information and an application, please contact Rev. Dr. Malcolm Frazier at mfrazier@umcmission.org. All are welcome!

Friday, January 16, 2015

The 2015 Western Jurisdiction Disaster Training will be held on March 2-5, 2015 in Denver at the Holiday Inn Denver East-Stapleton, 3333 Quebec St., Denver, 80207. The classes are for anyone interested in putting their faith into action by helping respond to natural disasters such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. Class offerings include beginning through advanced levels for various types of volunteers, response leaders, church leaders and clergy. Instructors are key UMCOR consultants and experienced disaster responders.

The Rev. Paul Jeffrey will be our guest speaker. The cost is $200/per person with meals, costs, and materials included in this price. All are welcome!

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

1) Happy New Year! HAPI is looking for a dentist to join a dental team from Houston, TX , July 2 - 11 to Musac, Haiti. If interested, contact Gail Girbach at ggirback@gmail.comor Valerie Mossman-Celestin, United Methodist Deaconess

2) June 22-30, 2015. Nicaragua. Cost is $1300 per person. The June team will be especially for High School and older youth, as well as adults. The work will be mainly be in schools: interaction with students, some construction, school maintenance, public hospital visitations, Bible school with a Nicaraguan Methodist Church, and other activities. Time for worship, sightseeing and shopping will be included. An application form and brochure is available upon request to Jack Reif at jack.reif.zoomtown.com.

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3) Bahamas Methodist Habitat is now accepting volunteer applications for 2015 Summer Staff. Spend seven weeks of your summer working in the Bahamas! We are looking for passionate young adults who are seeking God while helping others. You must be at least 19 OR have one year of college completed. For more information go to our website at www.methodisthabitat.org.

4) Interested in serving as an Individual Volunteer? Upcoming training event at the Colby Retreat Center in Palmdale, CAFebruary 24 - 28, 2015. For more information and an application please contact Malcolm Frazier at mfrazier@umcmission.org.

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5) Two job openings at UMCOR Sager Brown in Baldwin, LA Dir. of Volunteer Services and Volunteer Program Manager. More information and the application process can be found at the Global Ministries website at www.umcmission.org. If you know of any interested persons, I would be happy to speak with them and answer any questions they may have. I appreciate any attention you can give to this. from Kathy Kraiza / cell 337-578-0156 / Executive Director of Relief SuppliesUnited Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)

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6) Make your Spring Break count! Spend a week, half-week, or weekend with ARM in Tuskegee, AL where you'll extend the love of Christ through home repair ministry. Many dates in March and April are still available! Bring your middle school, high school, or college students, your Sunday School class, or your small group! Contact Joe at (334) 501-4276 or joe@arm-al.org for more information. You can register online today at www.arm-al.org/springbreak.

Spots are filling up for ARM's Summer Mission Camp! Dates are still available throughout June and July. Provide a transformative experience for your middle and/or high school students as they serve and reflect together with us in rural Alabama. Contact Joe at (334) 501-4276 or joe@arm-al.org for more details or register your group online today at www.arm-al.org/summercamp. Registration fee is only $50, but only until February 1st!

6) Do you want to learn how to be a caring Christian presence in times of a natural disaster? Then attend the 2nd Annual Western Jurisdiction DisasterAcademy. It will be held in Denver, CO March 2-5, 2015. For more information please contact Heather Wilson at umvimwj@hotmail.com.

7) HAITI FIVE YEARS LATER: JIM GULLEY REMEMBERS

Five years after surviving the devastating January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti, Jim Gulley, UMCOR consultant, recalls moments of that tragic day and also looks forward with hope as the nation continues to rebuild. Visit www.umcor.org to watch the video and learn more.